


Tea and Cake and Positive Bombardments

by asparagusmama



Category: Doctor Who (1963)
Genre: Birthdays, Cake, Candles, Eye of Orion, Gen, Picnics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-20
Updated: 2019-08-20
Packaged: 2020-09-19 06:27:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20326600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asparagusmama/pseuds/asparagusmama
Summary: Ace is 21. It is also the Doctor and the Master's loomdays. They celebrate with a picnic at the Eye of Orion.





	Tea and Cake and Positive Bombardments

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BabyKlingon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BabyKlingon/gifts).

> For Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred, 21 again today, and for Anthony Ainley, may he be celebrating his birthday in heaven!

“This is nice Professor. No one shooting at us for once. Feel so relaxed.”

“Yes Ace. One of my favourite places. It’s the positively charged ions that bombard the place. A good place to relax.”

The Doctor and Ace were at on an old tartan rug, a picnic hamper in front of them, sitting on the side of a hillock, rugged rocky outcrops behind them. Ace saw caves she could explore later on, and higher up looked great for rock climbing.

The Doctor began to unpack the hamper. “Help yourself,” he said, “and I shall be mother?” he added, pulling out a china tea service, a bone china tea pot covered by a red paisley patterned tea cosy.

He poured their tea while Ace plated herself up cucumber sandwiches, cheese straws, cheese scones, and sausage rolls. There were fondant fancies and teacakes, and an enormous iced Victoria sandwich for afters. The Doctor began to dot candles over the cake.

“Did you make all this Professor?” Ace asked, spraying crumbs everywhere.

“Yes Ace, and don’t eat with your mouth full.”

“Sorry Professor,” Ace said, automatically, watching the 21 candles make a spiral pattern of mathematical precision.

There was the sound of a TARDIS materialise and another rocky outcrop appeared. A door inexplicable opened.

“’Lo fuzzface,” Ace said.

“Many birthday felicitations to you, my dear Ace,” the Master said, coming up to the blanket and handing a wrapped parcel. 

“And happy Loomday to you too then. Ta,” Ace said, grabbing the parcel.

“Careful,” he added as Ace unwrapped the parcel with enthusiasm.

“Why? Is it a bomb?”

“Master!” the Doctor growled a warning, “You promised!”

“It merely contains some highly some highly explosive ingredients. I know your young prodigy and companion’s fascination for all things combustible and explosive.”

“Ace! Cheers furface!”

“And happy Loomday to you to my dear Doctor,” the Master said, placing a jewellery box in front of the Doctor.

The Doctor scowled. “A truce, we agreed, not a reconciliation.”

“Open it,” the Master suggested mildly, helping himself to a cheese straw.

The Doctor did so, but not before pouring the Master a cup of tea. It was an engraved tiny pocket watch, not the ring he feared.

“A temporal disturbance locator, I thought you might find it useful. M’m, these are delicious," the Master added, eating his seventh cheese straw. “You really have regained your baking touch of your Loom body this time around.”

“Wait! You made all of this?” Ace asked again, just checking as she really looked at the spread.

“M’m,” the Doctor replied, sipping at his tea, and ignoring the savoury delicacies he had spent all night baking, in favour of a Mr Kipling’s fondant fancy. “Except these,” he clarified.

“We will leave the brightly coloured sugared monstrosities to you then, Doctor. Ace, please pass the cheese scones.”

The two Time Lords and the human spent a peaceful afternoon eating a picnic, letting Ace blow out the candles and sang happy birthday to her – both out of tune! – while she lit them again, twice, so the Time Lords could play happy birthdays and blow out the candles, glaring at the other while making their wishes. When the Doctor and the Master presented her with the enrolment details of her place at the Academy on Gallifrey, she knew she had got what she wished for.

They watched the suns set over the Eye of Orion, before packing up, bidding the Master goodbye, and knowing Ace had really enjoyed her coming of age picnic. All she needed to do now was find a wicked night club somewhere open in human space-time to complete the birthday celebrations!


End file.
